Sandmännchen
Encyclopedia
Unser Sandmännchen, Das Sandmännchen, Abendgruß, Sandmann, Sandmännchen (Little Sandman) is a German children's bedtime television programme using stop motion animation
. The puppet was based on the Ole Lukøje character by Hans Christian Andersen
.
(Das Sandmännchen).
The original idea came from Ilse Obrig of West Berlin
TV and radio station Sender Freies Berlin
(SFB), who with the help of author Johanna Schüppel, developed a working version in 1958. The Little Sandman himself first appeared on screen in West Berlin in Sandmännchens Gruß für Kinder (Sandmännchen's Greeting to Children) on 1 December 1959, and other episodes were soon made.
However, on 22 November 1959 (less than three weeks after the production had started), East German television (Deutscher Fernsehfunk, DFF) began broadcasting Unser Sandmännchen with its own "good night, children" character, also called Sandmännchen.
Created by the puppetmaster and director Gerhard Behrendt
, the show represented everyday life, travel, and fantastic adventure, as well as a certain amount of propaganda
. Some people claim that the title character bears a resemblance to the then leader of the DDR
, Walter Ulbricht
, and the show was often a showcase for DDR and Socialist technology and success. This is one of the reasons why he often arrived in amazing vehicles like futuristic cars and flying devices.
The production of the Western version of Sandmännchen ceased in 1991, following the unification of Germany. However, episodes from the DFF show are still run on German television today.
Opening verse (on the Sandman's arrival):
Which literally translates as:
Closing verse (when he leaves):
Again, this translates as:
The score and overall design of the show was remarkably elaborate for a children's television production. The Sandman often visited other countries, and this fact was frequently emphasised by the use of traditional instrumentation and harmony added to the score.
, Sweden
, Denmark
and Norway
(Where he went under the name of "Jon Blund", "Nukkumatti" in Finland)
The theme song in Norway went as follows:
In English this means:
The theme song in Finland was:
In English this means:
into the Federal Republic of Germany, the Sandmännchen has retained a following, and it continues to be shown every night on German television. Periodic references have been made to it in film and literature.
Stop motion
Stop motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence...
. The puppet was based on the Ole Lukøje character by Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
.
Background
Two versions of Sandmännchen were created: one in East Germany (Unser Sandmännchen), and one in West GermanyWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
(Das Sandmännchen).
The original idea came from Ilse Obrig of West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
TV and radio station Sender Freies Berlin
Sender Freies Berlin
Sender Freies Berlin was the ARD public radio and television service for West Berlin from 1 June 1954 until 1990 and for Berlin as a whole from German reunification until 30 April 2003...
(SFB), who with the help of author Johanna Schüppel, developed a working version in 1958. The Little Sandman himself first appeared on screen in West Berlin in Sandmännchens Gruß für Kinder (Sandmännchen's Greeting to Children) on 1 December 1959, and other episodes were soon made.
However, on 22 November 1959 (less than three weeks after the production had started), East German television (Deutscher Fernsehfunk, DFF) began broadcasting Unser Sandmännchen with its own "good night, children" character, also called Sandmännchen.
Created by the puppetmaster and director Gerhard Behrendt
Gerhard Behrendt
Gerhardt Behrendt was a German director, Puppet designer, and author of the Sandmännchen character for the Deutscher Fernsehfunk Berlin.- Life and work :...
, the show represented everyday life, travel, and fantastic adventure, as well as a certain amount of propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
. Some people claim that the title character bears a resemblance to the then leader of the DDR
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
, Walter Ulbricht
Walter Ulbricht
Walter Ulbricht was a German communist politician. As First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party from 1950 to 1971 , he played a leading role in the creation of the Weimar-era Communist Party of Germany and later in the early development and...
, and the show was often a showcase for DDR and Socialist technology and success. This is one of the reasons why he often arrived in amazing vehicles like futuristic cars and flying devices.
The production of the Western version of Sandmännchen ceased in 1991, following the unification of Germany. However, episodes from the DFF show are still run on German television today.
Theme tune
Wolfgang Richter composed the theme to the East German program in just three hours one evening. Wolfgang Krumbach wrote the text.Opening verse (on the Sandman's arrival):
- "Sandmann, lieber Sandmann, es ist noch nicht so weit!
- Wir sehen erst den Abendgruß, ehe jedes Kind ins Bettchen muß,
- du hast gewiß noch Zeit."
Which literally translates as:
- (Sandman, dear Sandman, it's not yet time!
- First we'll watch the evening's greeting before every child must go to bed.
- Surely, you have time for that.)
Closing verse (when he leaves):
- "Kinder, liebe Kinder, es hat mir Spaß gemacht.
- Nun schnell ins Bett und schlaft recht schön.
- Dann will auch ich zur Ruhe gehn. Ich wünsch euch gute Nacht."
Again, this translates as:
- (Children, dear children, that was fun.
- Now, quick, to bed and sleep tight.
- Then I will also go and rest. I wish you a good night.)
The score and overall design of the show was remarkably elaborate for a children's television production. The Sandman often visited other countries, and this fact was frequently emphasised by the use of traditional instrumentation and harmony added to the score.
International broadcasts
The East German show was shown in many countries, including western countries like FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(Where he went under the name of "Jon Blund", "Nukkumatti" in Finland)
The theme song in Norway went as follows:
- "Hvem er denne karen med skjegg og lue på?
- Han ligner litt på nissen i grunn, det er ikke ham det er Jon Blund.
- Han besøker store og små."
In English this means:
- (Who is this man with a beard and a hat on?
- He looks a bit like santa actually, but it's not him it's Jon Blund.
- He visits children big and small.)
The theme song in Finland was:
- Nukkumatti, nukkumatti lasten, illoin kulkee, heittää unihiekkaa.
- Päivän leikit aika lopettaa on, kun TV:n iltasatu alkaa.
- Satu päättyi näin ja lapset käyvät jo nukkumaan, siis hyvää yötä.
In English this means:
- (Sandman, children's Sandman, goes around at night throwing some sleepy sand.
- It's time to stop playing for today, when the TV bedtime story begins.
- The story ended like this and children are going to bed, so good night.)
Supporting characters
The Sandmännchen stories contained a number of characters who remain popular today:- PittiplatschPittiplatschPittiplatsch, also known as Pitti for short, is a German fictional kobold character who was very famous in East Germany , especially as a puppet character on children's television...
, a little roundly koboldKoboldThe kobold is a sprite stemming from Germanic mythology and surviving into modern times in German folklore. Although usually invisible, a kobold can materialise in the form of an animal, fire, a human being, and a candle. The most common depictions of kobolds show them as humanlike figures the size...
, Schnatterinchen, a duckDuckDuck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
, and Moppi, a dogDogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in... - Herr Fuchs, a foxFoxFox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, and Frau Elster, a magpieEuropean MagpieThe European Magpie, Eurasian Magpie, or Common Magpie, , is a resident breeding bird throughout Europe, much of Asia and northwest Africa. It is one of several birds in the crow family named as magpies, and belongs to the Holarctic radiation of "monochrome" magpies... - Plumps, a water goblin, and Küken, a baby chickenChickenThe chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
In popular culture
Even after German unification merged the former DDRDDR
DDR may refer to:In entertainment:*Dance Dance Revolution, a music video game series by Konami*DDR , a Norwegian rock band singing in German.*DDR , a Greenlandic punk band singing in Danish.In organizations:...
into the Federal Republic of Germany, the Sandmännchen has retained a following, and it continues to be shown every night on German television. Periodic references have been made to it in film and literature.
- In 2009 the band Oomph!Oomph!Oomph! is a German rock band that was formed in Wolfsburg, Germany in 1989. The band is considered to be the original Neue Deutsche Härte musical group. In the 22-year history of the band, there have been no line-up changes.-Early years :...
released the single Sandmann.The song is about the child poverty in Germany and has many references to Sandmännchen.
- Unser Sandmännchen is featured in the 2003 film Good Bye Lenin!Good Bye Lenin!Good Bye, Lenin! is a 2003 German tragicomedy film, released internationally in 2003. Directed by Wolfgang Becker, the cast includes Daniel Brühl, Katrin Saß, Chulpan Khamatova, and Maria Simon...
"
- The German rock band RammsteinRammsteinRammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
uses the opening monologueMonologueIn theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
from the West German Sandmännchen, Nun, liebe Kinder, gebt fein Acht. Ich habe euch etwas mitgebracht (Now, dear children, pay attention. I have brought you something), at the beginning of the song "Mein Herz brennt". It's also worth noting that the original demo version of the song was called "Sandmann". In the demo version, the subject was much more worse than the finished version. In "Sandmann", a psychopath has murdered the real Sandmann, and he (the psychopath) appears instead of Sandmann.
- The Norwegian 52 minute long documentary Sandmann - Historien om en sosialistisk supermannSandmann - Historien om en sosialistisk supermannSandmann - Historien om en sosialistisk supermann is a Norwegian 52 minute long documentary by Jannicke Systad Jacobsen from 2005. The documentary looks back on the rise and fall of the East-German socialism through the tales of Sandmann of Sandmännchen.- External links :*...
(Sandmännchen-The history of a socialistic superman) by Jannicke Systad Jacobsen from 2005 looks back on the rise and fall of East German socialismSocialismSocialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
through the tales of Sandmann.
External links
- Official homepage (in German)
- Behrendt dies at 77 (RBB in German)